Posts by Eastbrook Church (Page 9)
Jesus, Holy God With Us
Read Leviticus 1:1, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23 & 1 Corinthians 3:16 “The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.” (Leviticus 1:1) “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16) One of the central themes of Leviticus, and of the entire Bible, is that God is holy. For something to be holy means it is set apart from other things for a specific,…
Practice: Pilgrimage
Each Saturday during Lent, we will take some time as a church family to practice a different spiritual exercise together. Today, we are practicing and learning about pilgrimage. Definition: Pilgrimage is the practice of going on an outer journey that will lead you closer to God. It includes slowing down in order to take a reflective journey—a physical pilgrimage like a trip to the Holy Land or other holy site, intentional travel for the sake of knowing God better,…
Leaving Behind
Read Philippians 3:7-14 “… because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (vs. 8) I’ve lived a very nomadic life. During my childhood, my family lived in five different homes in Germany and the United States. After I left for college, I lived in six dorms and apartments during my seven years in college and graduate school. And then, I lived in nine different apartments and sublets during the six years I spent in New York City.…
The Lenten Road
Read Hebrews 12:1-3 For many of us, today’s passage is almost too well-known. If that’s you, please slow down and read it a few more times, maybe even in some different translations. Then, just sit with it. After that, if you’re willing, let’s exercise our imaginations for a few minutes together. If you’ve read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, then considering that story may help you set the scene. Imagine that you are walking on a long and arduous road full…
What’s Special About a Torn Heart?
Read Joel 2:12-14a Some titles for this passage in Joel are, “Rend Your Heart,” “Change Your Life,” and “A Call to Repentance.” What could happen if the disobedient and rebellious Israelites were to rend their hearts, repent, or change their lives? Verse 14a states that they might receive the blessing or pity of God. That would be much preferable to the vast ferocious army that was coming to destroy them (see Joel 2:1-11). But what is surprising is that Joel…
Introduction to Leviticus & the 2025 Lenten Devotional
Lent traces Jesus’ journey to the Cross, providing an opportunity for us as followers of Jesus to bring greater focus to Jesus’ crucifixion and what that means for us in all its multifaceted glory. When we think of biblical backgrounds for this season, we may most readily turn toward the gospel accounts or perhaps Isaiah’s prophecies about the suffering Messiah or the Exodus story of freedom from Egyptian enslavement. But there is another place we might want to turn when…
An End to Suffering
Read 1 Peter 5:6-11 Suffering. Whether we see the word in the Bible or somewhere else in printed form, just the mere sight of the word can cause a slight increase in our blood pressure. Suffering can take on many different forms, and it will not stop because you are a Christian—remember, we do have an enemy. 1 Peter 5:8 shows us one job description of the devil, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for…
The Ultimate Gift
Read Hosea 6:1-3 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers,…
The One Who Restores
Read Isaiah 49:6 In the Sanctuary of Mercy church, in Borja, Spain, a fresco of Jesus entitled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) has been revered since the Spanish artist, Elías García Martínez, painted it in 1930. While not an artistic landmark or overly valuable, this fresco holds a treasured place within the village and area. Still, everyone could see that the fresco was deteriorating due to the impact of moisture and age. Motivated to help, in 2012, 81-year-old Cecilia Giménez…
Reflect & Respond: Week 3
Below, you will find a variety of ways to reflect on the message for this week. Since God speaks to each of us in different ways, you, your family, or even your small group may wish to mix and match a number of the spiritual disciplines listed. OPEN IN PRAYER Prayerfully look back through this week’s readings and devotionals. Ask God to speak to you freshly as you consider them again. KEY VERSES Review the key verse for the week,…
A Time for Judgment
Read Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 Recently, on a regular Tuesday night, I felt everything tremble a little bit. Not like an earthquake, but like an explosion. Rockets were flying overhead and being intercepted in air, and it didn’t matter which side they were coming from because we all knew one thing: something is not right in this world. I think you know that feeling too, even looking at the evening news: mass shootings, financial corruption, clergy caught in sin, and the…
Grace & Peace
Read Isaiah 30:18 and Isaiah 9:7 In this year’s Advent devotional and sermon series, “Who Is He?”, we are exploring the titles of the Messiah as prophesied by Isaiah. The names that we read in Isaiah 9:7—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace—help us develop a well-rounded understanding of who Jesus is and the impact He has on our lives. As we reflect on the title “Prince of Peace,” Isaiah’s words remind us that Jesus’ reign is…